Alex Monaghan

Two frighteningly young pipers who have already won prizes and international acclaim, Ross and Jarlath come from the Irish and Scottish piping traditions respectively. The combination of uilleann pipes and Border pipes is pure alchemy: there's a risk it could blow up in your face, but on this occasion the result is rare and precious. The Old Bush kicks off with Jarlath's solo skills, but soon shifts into a dazzling duet. The two instruments meld on The Jolly Tinker, and Richard Dwyer's packs more punch than a boxing-glove factory. Jock Brown's 70th, Good Drying and Maverick Angels represent some of the finest recent tunes from both piping traditions, and they're rattled off flawlessly here. Ainslie and Henderson compositions can hold their heads up in such company; Dirty Bee and Absynthe from Ross, The Crackin Fiddle and Dudley Drive from Jarlath, are outstanding tunes.

The lads shift to whistles for a few slower numbers, in particular the very pretty air Jenna Drever of Kirkwa

Scotland on Sunday

A gentleman has been described as "someone who can play the bagpipes, but doesn't". Well, these guys are no gentlemen. Separated by the Irish Sea, their common crime is having long hair and playing brilliantly on the bellows pipes – Ainslie on the Scottish Border or Lowland instrument, Henderson on the Uilleann. Huge technique (also on low whistles), adventurous contemporary rhythm, most of the compositional credits and solid studio support from some of Scotland and Ireland's top instrumentalists makes this a benchmark for the new generation.

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